A Florida pastor is accused of using his pulpit to lure a 14-year-old boy for sex and expose him to HIV, striking at the heart of parents’ trust in the church and online safety for their children.
Story Snapshot
- Polk County deputies say 42-year-old Pastor Timothy Chaneyfield groomed a 14-year-old boy online, then met him three times for sex.
- Sheriff Grady Judd says Chaneyfield is HIV positive and never told the teen or an adult partner before sexual contact.
- Tips from Instagram and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sparked the investigation and arrest.
- Chaneyfield faces multiple felony charges and officials fear there may be more victims who have not come forward yet.
Pastor Accused Of Grooming Teen And Hiding HIV Status
Polk County investigators say 42-year-old Pastor Timothy Chaneyfield met a 14-year-old boy on a dating app, then moved their chats to Instagram before arranging in-person meetings. According to Sheriff Grady Judd, Chaneyfield picked up the boy on three separate days from the teen’s neighborhood and drove him to his home in Eagle Lake, Florida, where they engaged in sexual acts. Deputies say these were not one-time mistakes but a clear pattern of grooming and abuse built through online contact and secret meetups.
Detectives report that Chaneyfield is HIV positive and did not tell the teen before having unprotected sex with him. Sheriff Judd has said publicly that the boy “had no clue” he was with an HIV-positive adult, and that a 26-year-old man who also had sex with Chaneyfield later learned of the pastor’s diagnosis from investigators and has since tested positive for HIV. Under Florida law, having sex while knowing you are HIV positive without informing your partner can bring extra felony charges because the risk is life-long.
Digital Trail And Law Enforcement Response Under Trump Era
Polk County Sheriff’s Office officials say the case began with a cyber tip from Instagram and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, showing how online platforms can help flag suspected child exploitation. From those tips, detectives traced messages and built enough evidence to arrest Chaneyfield as he stepped off a flight at Orlando International Airport after a trip to Baltimore. Under President Trump’s administration, law enforcement leaders like Sheriff Judd have stressed tough action against child sex crimes and strong cooperation with tech firms when children are targeted online.
Officials say Chaneyfield used his role as pastor of St. James United American Free Will Baptist Church in Winter Haven and hospice chaplain to present himself as a trusted figure, even while he allegedly hunted for minors on dating apps. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has announced that Chaneyfield now faces a long list of charges, including lewd battery of a minor, interfering with custody, traveling to meet a minor, unlawful use of a communication device, and having sex as an HIV-infected person without informing partners. These charges reflect not just the sex acts but the deliberate steps that detectives say he took to contact, transport, and exploit a child.
Broken Trust In The Church And What Conservative Families Can Do
This case fits a troubling pattern in Florida, where several pastors and youth leaders have been arrested in recent years on accusations of grooming and abusing teens they were supposed to protect. In one earlier case, a Broward County youth pastor who had sex with a 14-year-old girl on church property was sentenced to nearly 29 years in prison, reminding us that the justice system can hand down serious time when adults prey on children. For many conservative families, these stories feel like a deep betrayal of both faith and community values.
A Florida pastor has been arrested after investigators accused him of grooming and sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy, alleging the encounters also exposed the teen to HIV.
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Polk County authorities have urged anyone who believes they or a loved one may have been victimized by Chaneyfield to contact law enforcement, saying they fear there may be more victims who have stayed silent. Parents who value traditional family and church life are now forced to watch closely how adults around their children use social media and messaging apps. While President Trump’s law-and-order stance has empowered sheriffs to speak plainly and pursue harsh penalties, the first line of defense remains alert families who talk with kids about online dangers and never assume a title like “pastor” or “teacher” guarantees safety.
Sources:
nypost.com, abcnews4.com, youtube.com
